Four Indiana farmers begin service on state’s soybean checkoff board

From Left to Right: Mark Wenning, Jason Misiniec, Jenna Scott, Larry Rusch

Four newly elected board members began their service on the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Board of Directors, while a handful of directors were selected as executive officers during two days of meetings this week. Earlier this year, four incumbents and four newcomers earned election to the state’s soybean checkoff board. Two new board members filled each of the seats in Districts 2 and 3, and incumbent board members returned to service in both Districts 1 and 4.

District 2

In District 2, incumbents Matthew Chapman of Springport, Ind., and Elaine Gillis of Dunkirk, Ind., completed three, three-year terms each. The new directors are Jenna Scott and Mark Wenning.

• District 2 includes: Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Madison, Noble, Randolph, Steuben, Wayne, Wells and Whitley.

Scott, a full-time farmer, produces soybeans, corn, hemp and vegetable transplants in a partnership with her father, Greg Cox, near Muncie, Ind. She is a 2006 Purdue University graduate. Scott and her husband, Doug, are raising two children. Wenning, also a full-time farmer, grows soybeans and corn on his Henry County farm near Cambridge City, Ind. He studied ag economics and agricultural systems management at Purdue University where he graduated in 2012.

District 3

In District 3, Oaktown, Ind., farmer Craig Williams finished his nine years in office, and Oaktown, Ind., farmer Andrew Miller did not seek re-election. Winning the District 3 race were Jason Misiniec and Larry Rusch.

• District 3 includes the counties of Clay, Daviess, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Montgomery, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren and Warrick.

Misiniec grows soybeans, seed soybeans, white corn and wheat on his farm near Bicknell, Ind., in Knox, Daviess, Greene and Sullivan counties. A full-time farmer, he also owns a small, show pig operation and operates JAM Feeds. He and his wife, Heather, have two children. Rusch, a full-time farmer, grows soybeans and corn on his farm near Vincennes, Ind. He began farming in 1991. He earned degrees from Vincennes University and Western Kentucky University. Rusch and his wife, Jerri, have three children.

District 1

In District 1, Bremen, Ind., farmer Joe Stoller were re-elected. He won a second term on the ISA board. He operates J.R. Stoller Farms in Marshall and Elkhart counties, growing soybeans and commercial corn.

• District 1 includes Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Elkhart, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Tipton, Wabash and White counties.

District 4

In District 4, Seymour, Ind., farmer Kevin Burbrink and Greensburg, Ind., farmer Mike Koehne were re-elected. Burbrink won a second term. A full-time farmer since 1973, he grows soybeans, corn, wheat on his farm and has also grown popcorn, tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers for pickles. Koehne earned a third ISA board election. He grows corn, hay and raises cattle. A first-generation farmer, he started in 1992, and he also owns a farm drainage business.

• District 4 counties are Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Perry, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Union and Washington.

New executive officers elected

Part of the business during the ISA board meetings on Dec. 1-2 was the process of selecting its leadership. Mike Koehne was elected as the board chair by his peers. He takes over for Jim Douglas, who has served as the board’s leader for the past year. Koehne has served in many roles during his six years on the board, including two years as the chair of ISA’s Membership & Policy Committee (M&P).

Kevin Cox, a farmer from Brazil, Ind., was elected as vice chair. The new secretary is Joe Stoller, and entering his second year as treasurer is Hartford City, Ind., farmer C.J. Chalfant. The board also selected three committee chairs. Monrovia, Ind., farmer Keevin Lemenager will lead the M&P Committee; LaGrange, Ind., farmer Carey McKibben will lead the Market Development Committee; and Denise Scarborough of LaCrosse, Ind., will lead the Sustainability and Value Creation Committee for a second year.

“Between the young farmers just joining our board and the veteran board members who are returning, we have a really good group to lead this organization,” Koehne said. “I’m excited for this next year. I’m excited for the things we’re going to accomplish in the next 12 months.”

Contact: Dave Blower Jr. at 317-644-0980; dblower@indianasoybean.com

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About Indiana Soybean Alliance: The Indiana Soybean Alliance works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the effective and efficient investment of soybean checkoff funds that protect and promote the interest of Indiana soybean farmers. The ISA works to assist soybean farmers through its strategic initiatives of market development; environmental, social and economic sustainability; value creation and producer engagement. ISA is led by an elected, farmer board that directs investments of the soybean checkoff funds on behalf of more than 20,000 Indiana soybean farmers. Learn more at www.indianasoybean.com

This communication was funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.